Merging your work lifewith your blog life

By David GrinerAdFreak.comTheSocialPath.com

Rejected topics

Rejected topics• “Career opportunities for

the sarcastic slacker”

Rejected topics• “Get rich

or die bloggin”

Rejected topics• “Why I use

TypePad”

About Me• Huntsville native• Spent 10 years in journalism• Now work for Luckie & Co. and write

for AdFreak.com

About Luckie• Advertising / digital / PR agency• Clients include:

AT&T Regions Bank Blue Cross

Little Debbie Alabama Tourism Express Oil Change

Asheville Tourism ACIPCO The Virginia Samford

About The Social Path

About AdFreak• Advertising and

pop culture blog• Started by Adweek

in 2004• Technorati Rank 2,877

Becoming a paid blogger• My story• Ben Popken’s story

“Special thanks to Joel Johnson's mom.If she hadn't found my post mocking her son I probably wouldn't have the new job.”

—Ben Popken, Feb. 16, 2006

Pros of freelancingo Schedule your own timeo Stockpile blog posts in advanceo Decent extra payo Very minor level of celebrityo Opportunities for guest

editing/postingo Work in your underwear

Cons of freelancingo Most people suck at time

managemento You’ll starveo No benefits or securityo Can mess with your taxeso Easy to lose steamo Neighbors get tired of seeing you

in your underwear.

Finding the right blogo You’re probably already reading ito Who owns it?o How many writers?o What's the output?

Getting the gigo Get to know the writers or editorso Comment often under the same

nameo Write response posts on your blogo If you like the site, help drive traffic

there

Asking for the jobo No harm in asking about openingso Always write at least three sample

posts that they could run that dayo Make sure your e-mail is

colon-rupturing in its awesomeness

Asking for the jobo Get across your enthusiasm for the

blogo Talk about how it has evolvedo Say why they need you

Asking for the jobo What are they missing?

Is it your background? Your gender? Your location? Your traffic? Your raw sex appeal?

How much will it pay?o Not much

How much will it pay?o Pay per post:

$5-$30 a piece At 5 posts a week, that’s

$1,300-$7,800 a year Pros: Steady, decent pay Cons: No bonuses for traffic hikes

How much will it pay?o Revenue sharing model:

Based on advertising or page views

Pros: Good pay for popular posts Cons: Lots of dry spells

How much will it pay?o The Gawker model:

Salary for a required number of posts per week.

Plus bonus based on pageviews, relative to your site

Other salary sites offer occasional

ad revenue sharing.

Get creativeo Develop your own ideas for bonus

pay: Manage the Twitter feed Update the blog's Facebook

pages Do blogger outreach/PR

Social media as a career

Social media as a careero Pros:

Fun Growing exponentially Few rules You can make a big difference

Social media as a career

What could you be doing?

o Training coworkers on social mediao Maintaining company feedso Doing online outreacho Creating an online voice for your

business

Why you?o You know how to do it right—and

wrongo You have what's still a rare skillo You have initiative

Laying the foundationo Write at least one blog you don't

mind your boss seeingo Offer to do a training luncho Help coworkers set up Google alertso Teach the practical benefits of social

mediao No luck? Find another job.

Thanks for your time.

griner@gmail.comTwitter.com/griner